Does a state in qantum physics exist as absolute motionlessness?

Answer 1

No. Physics and chemistry books in high school and introductory college courses often imply that all motion cesases at absolute zero (about -273.15 Celsius or -459 Fahrenheit), but that is not quite true. Quantum mechanics tells us that all motion cannot ever cease. Absolute zero is the temperature at which motion reaches it minimum possible state.

Check out the Wikipedia article, but be sure to read in the Kinetic Theory and Motion section for the full answer.

Answer 2

The question is too vague to answer accurately. Quantum states are not characterized by a property called "motion". Rather, a state is characterized by a probability distribution of the outcomes of potential measurements one can make on that state. These are referred to as "observables".

A more precise question would be: does a quantum state exist for an object where there is a 100% probability of measuring it with zero velocity? (Velocity being a proper observable.) The answer to that is yes mathematically, but no practically. Quantum physics is based on a very rigorous mathematical foundation, and a perfectly good state can be written down that would always yield a velocity of zero upon measurement.

But practically speaking, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle requires that a state with 100% probability of having zero velocity must necessarily have a finite probability of being measured at every point in space, all the way to infinity. Because any real particle is ultimately confined in space by some kind of confining "box" (like an electon is confined to the atom it belongs to), or at the very least confined to the finite size of the universe (assuming it is finite), then there can be no particle in the universe that exists in a state that will always yield zero velocity upon measurement.

The issue of thermodynamics and temperature is a little misleading, because those concepts have to do with an ensemble of particles interacting with each other, while quantum states can exist in total isolation (at least mathematically).

Answer 3

Yes, it is called Absolute Zero.

Not the vodka...lol

Any way, this happens when there is no energy coming into the substance and the particles slow down until they stop all motion.

Neutron stars are as close to Absolute Zero as any thing we have found in the universe.

Answer 4

I believe the temp. would be absolute zero. The temp. would be measured as -273.15 degrees C. However, the law of thermodynamics states that no particle can ever stop moving completely, thus no partical can ever reach absolute zero, even though it can come arbitrarily close, so that it seems like absolute zero.

The answer to your question, then, would be, according to the Law of Thermodynamics, no. No state can exist as absolute motionless.

Answer 5

A quantum state is a superposition of waves. Intrinsically it is always in motion, though not in the sense you may be used to (ie its not going anywhere necessarily).

Thermodynamically, motion stops at zero Kelvin. However, quantum mechanics does not know this, and so a quantum particle will still be moving even then. Its called zero point motion.

Very low temperatures require condensing quantum states of the nnuclei, usually by magentic means (aligning their spin momentum and then allowing it to decay).

Answer 6

Relative to other particles, the first can be moitionless... picture a group of particles all moving around ... but now the video camera focuses on just only one particle and the rest look to be moving, but if the camera follows a different one, that one appears to be still... its relativity like einstein on the train that seens to be going backward when he looked out the window at a faster train passing by

Answer 7

No. Such a state would have both a completely specifiable position and momentum, in violation of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle. This means that even at absolute zero, you have some energy (called zero-point energy).

Answer 8

Yes, though it is impossible to achieve and record. It is when the amount of energy of the particle is zero. Unfortunatly to view a particle at rest you need to beam some energy at it which will give the particle energy and cause it it have motion!!

Answer 9

When the temperature of an object reaches 'absolute zero', all molecular motion stops. The object has no energy.

Answer 10

Yes, though only in theory at the temperature known as absolute zero, about -750 degreesF.